Assessment of fouling in commonly used polymeric membranes

The formation of biofouling on membrane surfaces is a critical factor that affects the efficiency of desalination processes, because it creates operational problems and increases the energy and cleaning requirements. This research studies the efficacy of different membranes in inhibiting the adhesion of proteins and bacteria on their surface. The adhesion of bovine serum albumin (BSA) and of Escherichia coli DH5α was studied on four membrane types: polytetrafluoroethylene, polyvinylidene fluoride, polyethersulfone and polyamide. Evaluation was performed by using 1 g L–1 BSA and a suspension of 105 CFU mL–1 of E. coli on both static and dynamic setup. Subsequently, the membranes were mildly washed with distilled water to remove weakly attached cells and the concentration of the fouling agent was determined. The results indicate that the adhesion of both agents is stronger on the hydrophilic membrane surfaces compared to the hydrophobic ones.